We feel like we own maple in Canada, don't we? (Sorry, Vermont.) So, clearly you need to make these maple fudge brownies ASAP.

Maple of any description is pretty synonymous with Canada (come on, it's even on our flag) and its versatile sweetness lends itself well to all kinds of different recipes. In this case, it's the perfect flavour-maker for chocolatey, fudgy brownies. There's a hit of maple in both the brownie and the frosting, so you could say these are the canuck special.

Ingredients for Maple Fudge Brownies

  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp maple extract
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Frosting

  • 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp milk, plus more if needed
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions for Maple Fudge Brownies

  1. oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan. (NOTE. A 9×9-inch pan is okay, too—it just makes thinner brownies and you may need to reduce the cooking time a little bit.)
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together butter and sugar. Add eggs and maple extract; mix well.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir just until combined. Spread into prepared pan.
  4. Bake for 20-25 min, until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
  5. To make frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, cocoa, icing sugar, maple syrup and milk, until smooth and spreadable (if it's too thick, add milk 1 tbsp at a time until you reach your desired consistency). Spread on fully cooled brownies and sprinkle with nuts.

Makes 16 brownies.